Disk blades are used on agricultural implements to cut slot shaped openings in the soil. For example, a disk assembly may be used as a disk opener on a seeding machine in the form of row crop unit. The frame of the row crop unit rigidly carries an axle to which the disk assembly is mounted. A hub carries the disk, and is mounted to the axle by an intervening ball bearing assembly. The ball bearing assembly typically is in the form of a single row of ball bearings positioned between an inner race and outer race.
The tendency for agricultural seeding machines has been toward no-till planting practices and higher ground speeds. Both no-till practices and higher ground speeds increase the mechanical loading on the bearing assembly of the disk opener to a point which decreases the operational life of the bearing assembly. Since the bearing assembly is usually sold as an assembly with the hub and disk, replacing the bearing assembly also means replacing the hub and disk which is expensive.
What is needed in the art is a disk assembly having a bearing assembly with improved operational life, reduced mechanical loading, and the ability to retrofit to existing row crop units.